French Researchers Question Non-Targeted HIV Testing

One of the many issues surrounding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is that it can be difficult to encourage people to get tested for infections regularly.

In response to this, researchers have been working to determine the best way to screen large groups of people for STDs, including non-targeted testing in emergency rooms that randomly checks to see if patients who are at the hospital for any reason have an infection.

French physicians trying out this method of testing have found that it doesn’t appear to be very effective in identifying new cases of HIV.

“Unexpectedly, non-targeted screening identified only a few new diagnoses, often already at late stages, and most newly diagnosed patients belonged to a high-risk group and had been tested previously,” said researchers.

However, the scientists said that this method should not be written off altogether as it could still be effective in other parts of the world. Catching STDs early is key to effectively treating any infection, as symptoms become more difficult to control in the later stages.